Stilts forage . . . hopefully for midges

March 10, 2014

Hawaiian stilts, or aeo, forage in the rain-swollen waters of Kealia Pond during calm conditions Tuesday afternoon. Residents may want to root for the birds and wish them a healthy appetite because, with so much rain, it is shaping up to be a good year for the midge population. A Kealia Pond National Wildlife Refuge staffer said that salt levels in the pond’s water may inhibit growth of the tiny pesky bugs, but they are already showing up in north Kihei homes at night. During the worst midge years, Sugar Beach residents could not leave their lights on at night for fear of ending up with drifts of dead bugs on lanais in the morning.The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photo